This year’s AIR Forum baseball outing takes us to U.S. Cellular Field, home of the 2005 World Series Champion
Chicago White Sox. The stadium opened in 1991 as Comiskey Park (referred to as New
Comiskey Park), just across the street from their home of 81 years, the legendary
Comiskey Park. A plaque in the parking lot just north of Gate 5 marks the location
of home plate. Several design elements from the old stadium were brought over, most
notably the “exploding scoreboard” which lights up and shoots fireworks after every
Sox home run. Another attraction at U.S. Cellular Field is the Fundamentals Deck,
featuring a youth-sized whiffle-ball diamond, batting and pitching cages, and areas
for base running.
The last AIR Forum in Chicago included a trip to the north side for a game at the
friendly confines of Wrigley Field, home to the Cubs since 1916. Although the Cubs
will be out of town during this year’s Forum, you can still check out the historic
ballpark by taking a tour of the stadium. Stops include the Cubs clubhouse, press
box, visitor's clubhouse, bleachers, dugouts, on deck circles, and mezzanine suites.
One of the indelible images of Chicago sports is of the Bears playing in Soldier
Field. The stadium underwent a significant renovation in 2002, but retains links
to its past such as the celebrated colonnades. Take a tour of the famous lakefront stadium, with behind-the-scenes
stops such as the Field, South Courtyard, Doughboy Statue, Grand Concourse, Colonnades,
Skyline Suite, and Visitors Locker Room.
A popular Chicagoland summertime activity is Arlington Park for an exciting afternoon of horse racing.
The park opened in 1927 and hosted the first horse race with a million-dollar purse.
There is plenty of lawn space for picnicking, and you can watch the horses up close
as they parade from the stables to the starting gates.
If you would rather play than watch, the Chicago Park District oversees 552 parks with over 7,300
acres of parkland and 33 beaches. Most notable is Lincoln Park, Chicago's largest park
with over 20 million visitors each year - second only to Central Park in New York
City.